Plastic bucket and lid stacking construction

ABSTRACT

A combination molded plastic bucket and lid includes a bucket having a circumferential groove along the bottom edge of the bucket compatible with a circumferential rim of the lid and designed to fit within the groove. In this manner multiple buckets may be stacked one upon the other without slipping or sliding with respect to one another.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] In a principal aspect the present invention relates to a moldedplastic bucket and lid construction wherein, the bucket and lid areconfigured in a manner which promotes effective stacking of buckets withlids for shipment or storage.

[0002] Various types of molded plastic buckets or containers are known.For example, molded plastic buckets are disclosed in the followingpatents of John W. von Holdt Sr.: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,275,948; 4,574,974;4,512,494; 4,512,493; 4,452,383; 4,380,305; 4,308,970; and ,210,258.Buckets or containers disclosed in the aforesaid patents are useful forstorage of powder or liquid materials including, paint, solvents andchemicals. The disclosed molded plastic buckets are typicallymanufactured using injection molding techniques by an entity skilled inthe practice of such techniques. The containers or buckets andcompatible molded plastic lids are then shipped to entities, whichdesire to fill the containers with a product. Filled containers withattached lids are then shipped to wholesale distributors and otherwisedispersed throughout various channels of commerce. Typically, the liddedcontainers are shipped in large or bulk quantities on shipping pallets.When shipped in this manner it is necessary to stack the buckets orcontainers one upon the other to provide an efficient and economicallysized package for transport by pallet.

[0003] An objective associated with such stacking is to provide a meansby which the stacked buckets with lids will remain appropriatelyoriented and stacked one upon the other during shipment. Thus, there hasdeveloped a need to provide means by which filled, stacked buckets maybe appropriately positioned one on top of another in a stacked conditionwithout tilting, falling or slipping. Further, it is desirable to havesuch capability for purposes of display of stacked buckets on displaycounters in retail stores and retail outlets. Thus, the idea of stackingmultiple containers or buckets one upon the other for purposes oftransportation, shipment or display is a characteristic feature orobjective that is much desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Briefly, the present invention comprises a molded plastic bucketor container and a compatible lid combination wherein, the bucket andlid are configured in a manner which facilitates the stacking of bucketswith lids one upon the other. More particularly the bottom of eachbucket is formed with a circumferential or annular groove about itsouter periphery. The lid for the container or bucket is provided with acircumferential or annular rim configured and dimensioned in a manner tobe received and nested within the groove of the bottom of a bucketstacked thereon. Various dimensional and structural details areassociated with the shape, location and dimensions of groove in thebottom of the bucket and the peripheral rim of the lid, which is placedon the top of the bucket, to enable or ensure that stacked buckets willnot slip and that the buckets can be effectively and efficientlydisplayed or stored or packed for shipping.

[0005] Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an improvedcombination molded plastic bucket and lid construction which isespecially useful for stacking of filled buckets.

[0006] It is a further object of the invention to provide an improvedplastic bucket and lid combination useful for stacking of buckets oneupon the other without intervening layers of material to ensure that thestack of containers or buckets will remain in an interlockedrelationship for shipment or display.

[0007] A further object of the invention is to provide an economical andefficient design useful for the stacking of a bucket upon a lid of acontainer of a vertically adjacent bucket and lid combination.

[0008] These and other objects, advantages and features of the inventionwill be set forth in the detailed description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0009] In the detailed description, which follows, reference will bemade to the drawing comprised of the following figures:

[0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combination bucket and lid madein accord with the invention;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the bucket of FIG. 1 along thevertical section through the middle axis of the bucket;

[0012]FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the combination lidand bucket with a second bucket stacked upon the lid of the firstbucket;

[0013]FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the stackingarrangement of a bucket upon a lid associated with a bucket as depictedin FIG. 3; and

[0014]FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of two lids stacked one upon theother.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0015] Referring first to FIG. 1, a lid 10 is a generally planar, moldedplastic member having a circular shape and generally symmetrical about avertical middle axis 12. The lid 10 is formed to be compatible with, fitupon and remain engaged with a top rim 14 of a bucket 16. The bucket 16is likewise symmetrical about the vertical middle axis 12.

[0016] Bucket 16 is formed by injection molding of a polymeric materialand includes a generally cylindrical, circular cross section sidewall 20and a generally circular bottom wall 18. The bucket 16 further includesan open top 15 with a circular peripheral rim 14 that is compatible withthe lid 10. The particular configuration or attachment design or elementincorporate in rim 14 and lid 10 for affixing the lid 10 to rim 14 isnot a limiting feature of the invention. However, the rim 14 typicallyincludes an outwardly extending rib 19 cooperative with inwardlyextending tab or flange 17 of lid 10 so that the lid 10 is removablyaffixed to the bucket rim 14.

[0017] The subject matter of the invention relates, in part, to theparticular configuration of bottom wall 18 of the bucket 16. Morespecifically, the bottom wall 18 includes an outer or firstcircumferential lip 24 radially spaced a first radial distance R₁ fromthe middle line axis 12. A second, outer circumferential radial lip 22is spaced a distance R₂ from the middle line axis 12 and, in combinationwith the first rib 22, defines a circumferential or annular groove 26.The outer or first rib 24 extends slightly radially beyond the outsideface 28 of the bucket sidewall 20 adjacent bottom wall 18. The ribs 22and 24 thus define an annular groove or channel 26 in the bottom wall18. The first and second ribs 22 and 24 are preferably continuousannular rings, but may be intermittent or segmented. A second annulargroove 30 is defined in wall 18 inwardly from the second rib 22. Thesecond annular groove 30 contours the uniform thickness, bottom wall 18thereby providing a reinforcing feature for the bottom wall 18. Centralcircular recessed section or panel section 32 of the bottom wall 18provides a further reinforcing function for the bottom wall 18.

[0018] Lid 10 includes a circumferential, annular rib 44 projectingupwardly. Rib 44 is configured to be compatible with the groove 26 inbottom wall 18 of the bucket 16 as defined by the two spaced ribs 22 and24. Thus, as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, a bucket 16 may be stacked uponthe lid 10. That is, the groove 26, formed by the spaced ribs 22 and 24,is dimensioned so that it will receive the rib 44 associated with thelid 10. The cross sectional shape of rib 44 is designed and dimensionedto fit congruently into groove 26. Lid 10 is also designed so that theremainder of outside surface of lid 10 will not prevent engagement ofrib 44 into groove 26.

[0019] The bottom wall 18 of bucket 16 may be designed so that annularsections 35 and 37 may rest against opposed annular sections 39 and 41of the lid 10. Thus, an inner annular rib 39 may project from the topsurface of lid 10 to support the bottom section 35 of bottom panel 18 ofbucket 16 by fitting against bottom wall 18. Preferably only the tongueor rib 44 of lid 10 will fully rest or engage the bucket groove 26.

[0020] Functionally, the inside face of the first rib 24 fits againstthe outside surface or edge of lid rib 44 thereby maintaining a bucket16 placed on a lid 10 and preventing lateral or side to side movement ofthe bucket 16 relative to lid 10.

[0021] By maintaining the outside rib 24 maximum radius within themaximum radial dimension of the bucket 16 and attached lid 10,(hereinafter the maximum assembly radius) the stacking arrangement ofmultiple vertically stacked buckets 16 falls within a vertical cylinderdefined by the maximum assembly radius. This insures an efficientpackaging of vertical stacks of buckets with lids on a pallet.

[0022] Variations of the construction may be effected with out departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, theconfiguration of the bucket 16 and lid 10 need not be cylindrical.Rectangular container shapes may incorporate the stacking feature of theinvention. Also, the first rib 24, as well as the outer edge of lid rib44, may be discontinuous so long as there is maintained opposed surfacesof lid rib 44 and first bucket rib 24. Therefore the invention islimited only by the following claims and equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A nesting molded plastic bucket and separate lidcomprising, in combination: a bucket having an open top, a side wall,and a bottom wall, said open top including a circumferential rim, saidbottom wall including an outside surface with a first, at leastpartially circumferential, depending rib; and a separate lid having atop surface and a bottom surface, said lid further including acircumferential element in the bottom surface compatible with the rim ofthe bucket for attaching the lid to the bucket and thereby enclosing thebucket, said lid further including on the top surface a firstcircumferential lid edge dimensioned to fit within and be positioned bythe circumferential depending bucket rib of the bucket bottom wallwhereby a bucket may be stacked and held upon the lid and substantiallyprecluded from side to side movement.
 2. The combination of claim 1including a second depending rib in the bottom wall spaced inwardly fromthe first rib to define a groove, and wherein the top surface of the lidincludes a projecting lid rib which is sized to fit within the groove inthe bottom wall of the bucket.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein thebucket has a generally cylindrical side wall.
 4. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein the bottom wall of the bucket has a generally uniformthickness.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the bottom wallincludes at least one supplemental annular groove having a radius lessthan the radius of the first rib.
 6. The combination of claim 1 whereinthe lid includes at least one additional, at least partiallycircumferential, rib having a radius less than the radius of the firstcircumferential lid rib, said additional rib dimensioned to engage andsupport the bottom wall of a bucket stacked on said lid.
 7. Thecombination of claim 2 wherein the first rib of the bucket bottom wallhas an outer radius greater than the outermost radius of the bucket sidewall at the juncture thereof with the bottom wall and less than themaximum radius of said lid and bucket.
 8. The combination of claim 5wherein the supplemental annular groove inner wall has a radius lessthan the radius of the bucket sidewall at the juncture thereof with thebottom wall.
 9. The combination of claim 1 wherein the bucket has agenerally cylindrical side wall and the first rib has a radius greaterthan the bucket side wall adjacent the bottom surface.